As the Bayelsa, Kogi and Imo states go to polls, Transition Monitoring Group (TMG)he has called on political parties and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure credible elections.
It also urged politicians to shun and desist from aiding and abetting electoral malpractices and vote trading.
Speaking during the press briefing on Thursday in Abuja, the chairman, TMG Auwal Ibrahim Musa Rafsanjani, said this is the first off cycle election since the general elections in February and March 2023 bearing in mind the widespread anomalies that were associated with the 2023 election regarding the conduct of political parties and politicians, security agencies, the electoral umpire, and political actors that marred the credibility of that election in the country.
He said Nigerians remain concerned about the direction of the off-cycle election.
According to him, the insecurity in Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa is even more worrisome that the pre-election environment in the three states is a concern for successful conduct of the November 11th elections in the states.
He said, “Assessments conducted by our partners including the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room and Kimpact Development Initiative have reported widespread violence across many local government areas of the three states ahead of the elections.
“On the back of these evidence that are before the public, the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) remind every stakeholder, the political actors, that elections are not war, but a democratic exercise aimed at giving the people the chance to freely elect and decide those who govern over them.
“These violent conducts are undemocratic and pose serious threats to the development of democracy in Nigeria. It is important for security agencies to ensure citizens can vote in peaceful electoral atmosphere across the three states.”
TMG urges the state government to immediately debunk this allegation and assure observers of their safety in Owerri and other parts of the state.
He said the federal government must investigate this weighty allegation and prevail on the state government to revert to democratic tenets.
